Vindicated
by Athena Solaris
Summary: [postKotOR II, AttonExile, oneshot] In saving him, in training him, she had saved herself. Now it was his turn to assure things continued to go right in her absense. Bad summary, I know.


Hearing the song "Vindicated" by Dashboard Confessional, I just had to write this little one shot. It seemed to me that it fit a Light Side Jedi Atton fairly well. I hope my characterization isn't too far off, but feel free to offer advice on that point.

Disclaimer: A penny saved is a government oversight. George Lucas isn't the government, so here it is. KotOR isn't mine.

**Vindicated**

_I am vindicated, I am selfish, I am wrong  
I am right, I swear I'm right, I swear I've known it all along  
And I am flawed but I am cleaning up so well  
I am seeing in me now those things you swear you saw yourself_

"I assume that she's taken off after Revan? We could have used her help here, but perhaps what she's doing now is more important."

If anything the old witch had said in her ramblings was to be believed, then Sera was probably right alongside Revan facing down an army of Sith, every one of them four meters tall. Of course, that stupid old bag never really gave us the whole truth. So, when Sera left, I knew she could take care of herself, and if worst came to worst, Revan would watch out for her, just because she was his only ally.

Oh, don't get me wrong. I miss her. I miss her a lot. Mostly for the way she brewed caffa.

"As you know, there are barely any of us left. Talk of rebuilding the Order is premature at this point. But we need to start somewhere."

Bastila recommended Telos. Said it made sense, seeing as the planet was rebuilding too. Sera would have been unhappy about it; she and Lieutenant Grenn aren't exactly friends. Having to spend a week on the same planet as him after the Peragus incident made her swear some very un-Jedi oaths. Any longer and she probably would have snapped. Well, more than she did anyway.

Fine, I admit it. I don't just miss the caffa. Mira's nowhere near as fun to tease as Sera was.

"The Telosian government has agreed to give us conditional use of an outdated military base on the planet's surface."

'Conditional' meaning 'screw up once and we'll space you all.' And I don't blame them. No one trusts the Jedi anymore. Force, I don't, and I _am_ one. Of course, I can't really speak for Mira, Spikes, the librarian, and the Miraluka. No, I take that back. I'd be glad to speak for Mical, mainly in the function of putting his foot in his mouth. Heh. That'll teach the smart-ass.

Sera only told me one thing before she left. Something along the lines of 'I hate you!' I wasn't paying that much attention. But I still think there's hope. After all, she laughed right after she said it.

"There is the danger that any younglings we bring here will be forever ostracized. Again, it's a risk we have to take."

At least Bastila's got her feet on the ground. Maybe this new Jedi Order won't need as big of a wake-up call as the last. Maybe all it will take is one fallen Jedi to force the masters to face what they've done. It's still probably too much to hope that they'll actually take responsibility.

Then again, Sera's taking enough responsibility for all of us. She's going to save the entire galaxy or die trying. Probably the second one. Still, maybe there's something to her claim that by saving others, you can save yourself.

"All of you are cornerstones to this rebuilding. The first thing we turn our wills to is not going to be a temple. We will resume training others in the Force, just as we ourselves were trained."

I laughed at that. Among the six of us, Bastila was the only one with formal training. The rest of us were little more than a Jedi militia, having been trained by Sera in the few quiet moments during our quest for the Jedi masters.

Sera had lectured me thoroughly when I called her 'Master Veta.' She thought I was making a dirty joke. Me! Then she explained the hierarchy of the Jedi Order, making sure I realized that I was what was called a Padawan. Of course, my full attention wasn't really with her until what happened _after_ her long-winded explanation.

Damn does that woman know the male mind

"Obviously, I can't force you to assist me. However, I do know it's what Sera would want from each of you. Mical?"

Of course he agreed. Bastila had his support from the moment she made her feeble claim of knowing what Sera wanted.

"Visas?"

She knew how much the life of the Force meant to Sera. And since it wouldn't last long with out Padawans... she was in.

"Bao-Dur?"

He nodded. That was all the explanation needed.

"Mira?"

To my surprise, she agreed. I never expected the harpy to leave the bounty business, but then, we had all changed.

"Atton?"

I didn't like the look she gave me. Hey, Visas was with the Sith too!

Sera was gone, for now, and maybe forever.

She had always wanted to see the Jedi trusted again—without their former arrogance.

After she pulled my ass out of the fire so many times, it was the least I could do.

Dammit, woman, you've changed me.

_Hope dangles on a string  
Like slow-spinning redemption  
The shine of which has caught my eye_

_--_

I marvel at my own crappiness...well, as short and rough hewn as it is, that's it.

Please review and I'd love some CONSTRUCTIVE criticism. Thanks for reading!


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